Warning against Geek Squad Return policy

Let me say that I have been a Best Buy customer for over 8 years and I have spent over $20,000 at Best Buy. I have purchased over $2000 in 2018 alone.

I purchase a new Motorola MotoZ3 phone from the Lakeland, FL store. I paid $499.99 for the phone. I also purchased a 1 year Geek Squad Protection plan for $99.99.

5 days after I purchased the phone the screen broke so I took it back to the Geek Squad to have it repaired. At that point, I had to pay another $130 service fee to have it repaired. I paid it and expected a replacement phone in the mail to replace my broken phone. However, 2 days later I received an empty box in the mail. I took the box to the store with the phone and they informed me that the cannot repair or replace the Motorola MotoZ3 and were going to issue me a Gift Card for $499.99, which they did. However, when I called and asked that the also give me a gift card for the $99.99 I spent for a Protection Plan. They informed me that the plan was cancelled as soon as they determined that they could not repair or replace my brand new phone (5 days old). Basically the return policy says that they will not return any of the unused warranty I purchased (11 months 24 days left on warranty).

paid $651.87 for phone, warranty, tax & shipping

paid $130.00 for Service Fee to repair broken screen

Total $781.87

Gift Card issued -$499.99

Reward points returned -$45.00

My total loss $236.88

For a 5 day old phone that they recommended my wife buy!!!

I have always supported store fronts, but from this point forward it's Amazon for me! They would have given me ALL MY MONEY BACK.

Re: Warning against Geek Squad Return policy

Wow, it’s a good thing you had the Geek Squad Protection. Without that insurance, they would not have been able to repair or replace the phone for you and you would have been 100% out of pocket for purchasing another phone or finding someone who repairs broken phone screens. Per the terms of the plan, that would fulfill the warranty. As the warranty is fulfilled, there is nothing to return.

Manufacturers don’t cover cracked screens, and physical damage to a device makes them ineligible to return even at Amazon.

I am a Best Buy Employee, but the views that I post are my own and not that of Best Buy.***Know that I am not able to issue official responses and that my posts are only here to help before an official response is offered by a Best Buy Social Media Specialist***

Re: Warning against Geek Squad Return policy

Purchasing a Geek Squad Protection (GSP) Plan for a phone is a great choice. I know when my husband dropped his phone from a short few feet from a park bench and broke his phone, we were pretty discouraged the plan for it had expired. Luckily, I had an upgrade he could use, so we weren't completely out of affordable options, though I may be a bit bitter I'm still holding onto my iPhone 6 because of the use of my upgrade.

I'm sure you and your wife were incredibly relieved you had purchased the GSP when the MotoZ3's screen broke a few days after purchase. While the phone would be within the return and exchange period per our Return & Exchange Promise, damaged items are nonreturnable. This is where the GSP comes into play! With issues such as damage, a service fee is typically required to receive a replacement. Should a replacement not be available, a gift card for the current market value of the device is provided.

As jdogg836 mentioned though, providing you with a gift card for the value of the device would fulfill your plan under the terms and conditions you agreed to upon purchase. As the plan is fulfilled, we wouldn't be able to provide you with a refund, or even a pro-rated refund for the GSP.

While I know this may not be the news you were hoping for, I hope it has clarified your experience. If you have any other questions, please let me know.

Respectfully,

Tasha|Social Media Specialist | Best Buy® Corporate Give Kudos if you like this post or Accept as Solution if it answers your query!

Re: Warning against Geek Squad Return policy

Thank you for your quick response. I understand (now) your Return & Exahge Promise, and that is exactly why I am letting everyone know your policy SO THAT THEY DO NOT BECOME VICTIMS OF BEST BUY.

If you are going to sell and promote a product, you should make darn sure that it can be repaired! Best Buy could have gotten the screen repaired, but they chose the simple route of not dealing with it and hiding behind your poor policy.

Please tell me why you didn't simply send the phone to Motorola for repair??? Do they not repair their own products? Remember that the phone was 5 days old and it was your sales associate that recommended the phone to us. Do you really consider that you did all you could for your (long term) customer to solve my problem? If you had returned it to the manufacturer for repair, you would have saved me $99.99 + tax. It was the Geek Squad who failed me as your customer.

Please reply with an explaination why the manufacturer couldn't have repaired a 5 day old product. Did you sell me something obsolete?

Re: Warning against Geek Squad Return policy

Under the Geek Squad Protection (GSP) terms and conditions, we decide whether to repair, replace, or reimburse for a product at our sole discretion. In most cases with phones, we utilize the replacement or reimbursement options through our Express Replacement Service, as outlined in the terms.

Thank you,

Tasha|Social Media Specialist | Best Buy® Corporate Give Kudos if you like this post or Accept as Solution if it answers your query!